Wolves of the Woods
by Secretspy286
Summary: Have you ever had to live alone? Nobody but the animals to keep you company? Well, this is how it's been for Holly her whole life. But will that change? Will she learn to trust and possibly fall in love? Follow her through this new chapter of her life.
1. Prologue

Wolf of the Woods

Prologue

Have you ever lived alone? Absolutely no one to talk to, no one at all. You would think it would drive a person crazy. That's only true if you had someone to start with. It's not so if you're born with no one, like me. My mother died at my birth, my father abandoned her before that. I've never even seen a live being, except for the animals in the forest. I'm not so lonely though, the animals are my friends. They don't talk much, but just their presence makes me comfortable.

Now you may be confused when I say the animals talk. It's rare, except for the squirrels, chatter boxes. But back to how I can hear animals. It's quite simple, I'm part animal. Part wolf to be exact. I've lived in the forest for as long as I can remember, so practically for my whole life. I sometimes converse with the bear family near my den, but most times, I don't talk. Just like them, I stay silent and just focus on living. It's easier when you grow up in the forest, but it's still difficult during the winter.

My name is Holly. Well, that's what most animals call me, since I was born in a holly bush. My mother was trying to hide from the hunters, knowing I would be part wolf. Of course, she didn't know I would grow up by myself. I have gold fur- blonde hair- and emerald-green eyes. I grew up in the forest, having to grow up far too fast. I learned how to gather berries, hunt, and fish on my own. Sometimes other animals helped me, like Anna. She's the bear mother of the family near me. She is very friendly when her mate, Colka, isn't around. He isn't mean to me, but not terribly nice.

Back to me, I'm 16 years old. Long time to live alone, right? It's not so bad though. I love nature, and it's been my home. The trees protect me, the bushes feed me, the lakes and rivers give me fish and fresh water, and the sky shows me a world beyond my understanding. The stars guide me from my seasonal dens, acting as my map. I love my home, but I must admit, it can still be lonely. Sitting in my den those winter days, the cold seeping through even my thick coat. I can't be human at those times, I would freeze to death. I mostly stay a wolf, I feel myself when I am.

Right now, winter is approaching. It's the middle of fall, and I've been hunting for food. Prey has been growing sparser, and I don't know why. What makes me confused is that I've found strange prints on the migration paths. The prints smell of others, something….like me. I've been thinking about it for days. I never knew there were others like me. All I've ever known is the creatures that surround me. Bears, fish, squirrels, foxes, and all those other fuzzy creatures.

There's more than one. From what I've seen, it's a whole pack. A pack of possibly….20 wolfbloods. That's what Anna calls me. A Wolflblood. She knew my mother, they were friends. That's the only reason she's nice to me I think. Only reason she trusted me to play with her cubs when I was younger. It only reminds me how different I really am. I may be part wolf, but I'm still human. None of the animals completely trust me. They fear the hunters that come into the forest, and they fear ill turn into one of them. Like I would shoot one of them! These animals are the closest thing I have of family, and they think I would turn on them. I'll always be an outsider, no matter how hard I try to convince them I'll never turn on them. I'm a loner, and sometimes, I like it, but sometimes, I hate it.


	2. Chapter 1

**plz tell me what you think!**

Chapter 1

My instincts tell me to run, but my mind is curious. I sniff the paw prints in front of me, fresh. Whatever left these, it was here not so long ago. What makes me curious, is that the prints match my own, just a little larger. I gaze into the distance, looking for the animal that left these. I step forward, following the tracks. Everything in me is begging to go the opposite direction, but my mind pushes me forward. It's not the first time I've seen these tracks, but it's the first time I've had the nerve to follow them. My steps are as quiet as an owl flying through the air, if not quieter.

I catch a glance of something moving in the distance and I freeze. A tail disappears behind a bush, rustling it slightly. I sneak up to where it vanished, my fur prickling. My paws pause with every step, as tentative as if I was hunting. I finally reach the bush and look past it. A flash of brown fur and blue eyes make me freeze in spot as I stare at the creature in front of me. A wolf. Not just a wolf, but a wolfblood. I can smell a hint of human on him, confirming my thoughts. I watch him carefully, my eyes narrowed.

Suddenly, he turns around, his eyes landing on me for a split second before I'm gone. I run back to my den, my light steps barely leaving any prints. I know he's my kind, but I've never so much as looked one in the eyes. I've noticed them once or twice, always from a distance. That's the closest I've ever been to someone like me. Those blue eyes stay in the back of my mind, stored there forever. I trip over a root, flying right into my small cave. I growl when I hit the wall, pain searing in my leg. So much for grace.

I lift my paw carefully, inspecting it. Standing, I test it out and see if it's broken. When I'm able to put pressure on it, I'm guessing it's either just a sprain or sore. I growl at my stupidity and sit at the back of my cave. I shift and my blonde hair falls down to my waist over my shoulders. I rub my ankle for a bit until the pain has turned into a dull ache. I really need to pay attention when I'm running.

-o0o-

I peer through a bush that overlooks the valley. My eyes follow the wolf pack that flows in perfect harmony as they chase a herd of elk. My eyes are glued on them, watching every detail. The point guards sending signals, the packers closing in on the elk, and the outerflankers splitting the weak from the herd. The sight is one of beauty, all the wolves working as one. Their paws thrumming on the ground, their hearts pounding as one, acting as a single unit. They separate an old elk from the herd and the outerflankers attack. They bring it down as a team.

It looks so much easier to hunt as a route. I always have to do it by myself. I sometimes find a lone calf who's lost it's mother, but not often. Most of my diet is made up of bird and small rodents such as squirrels and mice. I've learned to cope with it though. I also eat berries and fruits if I find them, like in the spring. Eating them has given me more strength than most. I can jump higher and run faster than the wolfbloods I've observed. But they make up for it by working together. I wonder what it's like...

I shake my head, pushing the thought out of my head. I'm a loner, and I'm fine by myself. I don't trust others, scared of betrayal. Like my father betrayed my mother, you can't trust anyone but yourself. If I ever saw him again, I swear I'll murder him. He left my mum, and me, to die. I'm lucky to have survived. He probably thought I'd die, that stupid cat heart. He's foolish for questioning an unborn pups resolve. Well, I guess he wasn't considering he didn't even know me. He probably thought I would be a weak pup, not the strong one I grew up to be.

I huff and pull my head from the bush. They are just taking turns eating now, nothing else to watch. I don't see how they all trust each other. Are they not scared one of them could turn at any moment? I growl to myself and head out. My gaze flickers back and forth, looking for something I can eat. Watching them has made me hungry myself. I see a rabbit a few feet away and drop down on my haunches.

I quietly snake toward it, making absolutely no sound. My tail tip twitches and I creep forward so I'm a foot away. Before the rabbit can smell me, I jump out from the long grass, landing on it directly. I quickly bite its neck, ending it's life. I pick it up, carrying it to my cave. It swings from my muzzle, being quite heavy. I drop it when I reach my den. Panting slightly, I plop down in the cool shadows underneath a rock outcropping. I see Anna playing with her cub outside her den and bark.

"Holly! Where have you been so late?" Her voice has a guttural undertone like all bears.

"Hunting." It's only a partial lie. My voice is rough and scratchy from lack of use. "Do you want some rabbit?" She tilts her head, her ears perked.

"You wouldn't mind sparing some would you? Miska and Laika are hungry." Her cubs tussle around, not breaking away from each other for even a second. I take the rabbit and tear the back legs off. They are meaty, and the perfect size for the cubs. I trot over to them, dropping the legs. At the scent of meat, the cubs split and run towards it excitedly. "What do you say girls?"

"Thank you miss Holly." The both chime. I smile, wagging my tail. They are always so polite.

"Thank you Holly. That was very kind of you." Anna is always nice. I dip my head and walk back to my cave. I eat the rest of the rabbit, filling myself up. Since I've eaten small animals for my whole life, my stomach isn't that big. It's not hard to satisfy my hunger. I lay down in the back of the cave and close my eyes. Sleep slowly over comes me.


End file.
